Dumbledore ran after Charlie, simple shouting to the needed teachers as they ran past classrooms. As they passed the darks arts classroom, and called to Wesley to follow, they were inevitably followed by Dawn Harry, Draco Ron and Hermione who were in the lesson. Dawn just knew it was about Faith- she just knew. So no one could convince them to go back. They all burst into the room of requirement, where Faith was curled into a ball on the floor, screaming in pain. All of them had at least some idea of the sort of thing Faith could withstand, so this sight was a major shock. Not one of them had really thought it would be this bad. Dumbledore dropped to his knees at the girl's side, taking her shaking hands. She looked up at the Headmaster, her eyes wet with tears, and full of fear and pain.
"Faith?" Dumbledore said, "What is it?"
"He's…. he's in here…" She gasped, her voice quaking like that of a child who'd just awoken from a nightmare. "Get him out!!" She screamed, wrenching away from Dumbledore and grabbing at her own head, "Get him out, oh god please! Get him out!"
"Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore snapped, "Get Professor Snape this instant!" Draco nodded, squeezed Dawn's hand, and ran from the room. Dawn pushed past Dumbledore, kneeling beside the stricken slayer, and forced her hands down, taking them in her own.
"Hold on Faith." She whispered, "Just hold on." She pulled her closer, holding her tight in her arms. Faith did not pull away. Her body was shaking terribly- jerking and wretching.
"Oh god… please…" She cried out. Dawn was terrified. She didn't understand what was going on, but she knew it had to be bad. She knew better than anyone how tough Faith could be when it was needed. A few minutes later, Snape entered, following Draco. He looked to Dumbledore, but nothing was said. So he turned to look at Faith. They'd never spoken much- to tell the truth he didn't trust her much. He frowned. "Get him out! Get him out!" Faith screamed again, suddenly pulling away from Dawn and throwing herself against the wall. "GET OUT!!" Now Snape needed to ask no questions. He hurried forwards, the third person to kneel and take Faith's hands. He forced Her head up, and they locked eyes. Or Snape locked eyes with her- her eyes showed no presence within them. It was as if she had retreated right into herself- nothing showed on the outside. Snape took a deep breath, and the world fell away.
Clouds of mist covered a rocky landscape. The potions master could barely see more than a foot in front of him. He could hear screaming. Bloodcurdling cries that rivalled any he'd ever heard. And past that- a hollow, evil laugh. The laugh died away to be replaced by a cold voice that Snape recognised all too well.
"Give it up slayer. You're like me. You are a killer. You hurt, you maim, you kill, and you love it."
"NO!" She cried, but it was full of fear. Snape still wondered what it was that was hurting her so much if she'd withstood so much torture before.
"Yes. You are dark. You are a creature of darkness. You know they will never accept you! After what you've done? No! You know they still hate you."
"No! They're my friends!"
He laughed again.
"You know that is not true. They turned from you before and they will again. They hate you. You disgust them. Just think of the things you've done! Can you really blame them?"
"No…" Faith sobbed. Snape was hurrying through the mist, following the voices in an attempt to find the slayer. Her mind was so confused. So tangled and distorted- so pained. Snape heard the laugh again, just as Faith gasped, "No…" But it was different than before. Suddenly, Snape broke through into a small clearing in the fog. Faith was crumpled on the ground, looking up with wide eyes at a young-ish man covered in blood.
"I just wanted to talk to you." The man said. He walked towards her, zombie like, "But you… you're sick- you didn't care…"
"No!" Faith screamed, "Get away from me!" She shuffled backwards away from him.
"You didn't even care, did you?" the man continued.
"She never cares." Another man appeared, also covered in blood. He grabbed at Faith, but she managed to pull away.
"Please…" She sobbed.
"Please?" The second man asked, "Please? I said please… that didn't change anything for you. Are you a screamer Faith?" She was now shaking her head, tears trickling down her cheeks, and Snape was beginning to get it. These were people she'd killed. These were images from her own memory that Voldemort was using against her. Of course they weren't exact memories- they were what she had created. This wasn't just Voldemort's doing- he supplied the opening, but it was Faith herself who was hurting her. Her mind made up what these men were saying. This is what she thought of herself.
"You're disgusting." One of the men told her. "Like something you scrape off your shoe. You don't deserve to live."
"And weak too." A deep voice added. Snape could not see the newcomer yet- he was still hidden in the mist. But Faith's eyes flew wide- she knew what was coming. "You never could do a thing when it came down to it, could you Faith? You act all tough- but when it comes down to it, when something goes wrong, you fold. So you see, that's why things get so bad." Who ever it was was circling them, staying just out of sight. "It's your fault. It's because of you that those people die. You killed your watcher, Faith. And you destroyed yourself. You wouldn't let them help you. You chose darkness and now you're stuck with it. You belong in the dark Faith. With us." He stepped out, and Snape gasped. It was a vampire like none Snape had ever seen. His hands and feet were cloven- he was very old.
"NO! No, no please!" Faith screamed, leaping up, and running off into the mist of her own mind. The apparitions chased after her, and Snape snapped out of his fascinated daze. He rushed along side her, trying to get her attention.
"Faith!" He shouted, "Faith listen to me."
"No, no, no." Faith was chanting to herself. She dodged away from Snape's outstretched hand, and sped up. The slayer ran so fast. Propelled by her own strength, fear and determination. Snape just couldn't keep up. But Kakistos could. He grabbed Faith by her hair, and threw her to the ground. She whimpered.
"See. Weak." Kakistos scoffed. Other apparitions appeared- the ones from before, and more and they lunged at Faith, tearing at her, hitting her. She crumbled, curling into a ball. Snape could not see her, but he had some idea of what was going on. So he called out to her.
"Faith! Fight it! Voldemort is using your own fears against you! You can fight it! You're stronger than this."
"Am I?" Snaped jumped. Another Faith had stepped up beside him. Infront of them, the fog thinned until they could see her on the ground, the appartitions attacking her, and Kakistos laughing.
"You're…" Snape began, very confused.
"Dude, it's my mind. Why shouldn't there be more than one representation of me here?" Snape shrugged,
"I suppose… Look, Faith, you have to fight, or Voldemort will take you- it might even kill you!"
"So?" She shrugged, "Isn't that what I deserve? I killed all those people, Snape."
"And the vampire?"
"He killed my watcher. I couldn't stop him… he scared the shit outta me. I beat him eventually, but… it was still my fault that she died."
"Faith, you know that you need to fight this."
"Why?" She shook her head, "Look at all the things I've done… they're right, I'm weak, and pathetic and disgusting. I should die."
"Summers doesn't seem to think so."
Faith stiffened, and Snape continued, "You saved her. You turned yourself in. You've saved others. You are trying to repent…"
"But I never will. Nothing I do will ever make up for the things I have done."
"Maybe not." Snape shrugged, "But does that mean you should just stop trying? You're not the only person who has ever done something they regret, Faith."
"Shut up, traitor!" The cold voice said. It wasn't a physical thing, Snape now realised. Voldemort was too far away to manifest himself. But he still felt a strong presence. "You know what you are Faith. Don't listen to this idiot."
"No, Faith!" Snape said firmly, "You know you need to fight! This stuff scares you so much because at the heart you are a good person. You are just too stubborn to let anyone in, and that is where it goes wrong! You have to believe in yourself. Stop trying to hide!"
"Faith! You are a killer!"
"Faith!" Faith began to shake her head- everything was so confusing. Snape was shouting now, "Faith, if you just give in, then he was right, you are weak! You are worthless! You…"
"NO!" The slayer screamed. It was as if the Faith beside him and the one on the ground had merged together. She threw off the attacking memories. "No no no!" She yelled, retrieving a stake from nowhere and plunging it deep into Kakistos' heart. The mist began to rapidly recede, making Snape go dizzy and his vision blur. When he could see properly again, he was back in the room of requirement, holding the slayers hands and starring into her eyes. But unlike before, they showed consciousness- she was back.
"Faith?" Dawn said as the slayer blinked a couple of times.
"You should get to the hospital wing." Snape said, trying to help her up.
"No." Faith replied, her voice void of feeling. She shrugged off Snape's hold on her.
"Faith…"
"I said no. But… thank you." She met his eyes briefly, before walking straight past the others and out into the hall. Only Charlie followed.
"Faith, are you ok?" He asked.
"Five by five." She murmured tiredly.
"You sure you don't want to go to the hospital wing- it would be good for you…"
"You don't know me, Charlie boy. Stay out of it." She snapped. Then Faith walked away before he could retort.
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*grins* dun dun dun……. He he. Reviews please!!